H2O2 production at gas-diffusion cathodes made from agarose-derived carbons with different textural properties for acebutolol degradation in chloride media.
2022
Abstract The excessive cost, unsustainability or complex production of new highly selective electrocatalysts for H2O2 production, especially noble-metal-based ones, is prohibitive in the water treatment sector. To solve this conundrum, biomass-derived carbons with adequate textural properties were synthesized via agarose double-step pyrolysis followed by steam activation. A longer steam treatment enhanced the graphitization and porosity, even surpassing commercial carbon black. Steam treatment for 20 min yielded the greatest surface area (1248 m2 g-1), enhanced the mesopore/micropore volume distribution and increased the activity (E1/2 = 0.609 V) and yield of H2O2 (40%) as determined by RRDE. The upgraded textural properties had very positive impact on the ability of the corresponding gas-diffusion electrodes (GDEs) to accumulate H2O2, reaching Faradaic current efficiencies of ~95% at 30 min. Acidic solutions of β-blocker acebutolol were treated by photoelectro-Fenton (PEF) process in synthetic media with and without chloride. In urban wastewater, total drug disappearance was reached at 60 min with almost 50% mineralization after 360 min at only 10 mA cm-2. Up to 14 degradation products were identified in the Cl−-containing medium.
Keywords:
- Correction
- Source
- Cite
- Save
- Machine Reading By IdeaReader
83
References
2
Citations
NaN
KQI